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BACKGROUND: During the past years various drugs have been used for sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) treatment including steroids that are shown to be beneficial. Directed delivery of high doses of steroids into the inner ear is suggested for its potential and known as intratympanic steroids therapy (IST). Despite the use of dexamethasone and methylprednisolone as the traditional treatments, there are still debates about the optimal dosage, preferred drug, and the route of administration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a randomized clinical trial study in which 50 patients suffering from SSNHL and resistant to standard therapy were employed. Each patient took 0.5 ml methylprednisolone (40 mg/mg) along with bicarbonate or dexamethasone (4 mg/mL) through direct intratympanic injection. This method was performed and scheduled once every 2 days for three times only for the dexamethasone receiving group. Hearing test was carried out and the results were analyzed according to a four-frequency (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 kHz) pure tone average (PTA) and Siegel's criteria. RESULTS: According to Siegel's criteria, three out of 25 (12%) dexamethasone receiving patients were healed in 1 and 4 (16%), 9 (32%) were respectively recovered in Siegel's criteria 2, 3, and 9 (32%) showed no recovery. In the group receiving methylprednisolone, recovery was found in 6 (24%), 8 (32%), 7 (28%) patients in the Siegel's criteria 1, 2, 3, respectively, and in 4 (16%) patients no recovery was recorded. In methylprednisolone group, hearing was significantly improved compared to the dexamethasone group (P < 0.05). The general hearing improvement rate was 84% in methylprednisolone receiving patients showing a significantly higher improvement than 64% in the dexamethasone group. CONCLUSIONS: Topical intratympanic treatment with methylprednisolone is safe and an effective treatment approach for those SSNHL cases that are refractory to the common therapies by Dexamethasone.
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BACKGROUND: Due to numerous difficulties in patients suffering from varieties of cleft lip and palate, their therapeutic management involves interdisciplinary teamwork. This study was conducted to compare the age of commencing treatments such as speech therapy, secondary palate and alveolar bone grafting and orthodontics between those who sought treatment early and late. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, 260 files of patients with cleft lip and palate based on their age at the time of admission to a cleft care team were divided into two groups: The early admission and late admission. Both groups compared based on four variables including the mean age of beginning speech therapy, palatal secondary surgery, alveolar bone grafting, and receiving orthodontics using t-test. RESULTS: Based on the results, among 134 patients admitted for speech therapy, the mean age of initiating speech therapy in early clients was 3.3 years, and in the late ones was 9 years. Among 47 patients with secondary surgery, the mean age in early clients was 3.88 years, and in the late clients was 15.7 years. Among 17 patients with alveolar bone grafting, the mean age in the first group was 9 years, and in the other was 16.69 years. Among 24 patients receiving orthodontic services, the mean age in early clients was 7.66 years, and in the second group was 17.05 years. CONCLUSION: There was a significant difference between the age of performing secondary surgery and alveolar bone grafting and the age of beginning speech therapy and receiving orthodontic services in early references and late references to the team.
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BACKGROUND: Incidence rates of Meniere's disease vary considerably from 157/100,000 in the United Kingdom to 15/100,000 in the United States. Furthermore, in Iran prevalence of Meniere's disease is high, whereas we have not a reliable statistical study on it. A wide range of treatments are used for the treatment of the condition with no consensus on the most effective intervention. The aim of the present study, which involved 37 patients treated because of severe vertigo due to persistent Meniere's disease from 1996 to 2011, was to compare the effectiveness of two surgical methods cochleosacculotomy and endolymphatic sac decompression on vertigo and tinnitus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, we compared two surgical approaches in patients with Meniere's disease who did not respond to usual medical treatment. Twenty-three patients underwent cochleosacculotomy surgery and 14 patients endolymphatic sac decompression surgery. We compared all the patients for resolving of vertigo, tinnitus. RESULTS: After surgery, in patients of both group vertigo was improved significantly (P < 0.0001), tinnitus was improved, but it was not significant (P > 0.05) and hearing level was worse than before (especially in patients who had undergone cochleosacculotomy) (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Based on the data of the current study, cochleosacculotomy and endolymphatic sac decompression improved vertigo in patients with persistent Meniere's disease.
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OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of aromatherapy with Lavandula angustifolia essential oil on post-tonsillectomy pain in pediatric patients. METHODS: This was a randomized controlled prospective clinical trial. In this study, 48 post-tonsillectomy patients aged 6-12 years were randomly assigned to two groups (24 patients in each group). After tonsillectomy surgery, all patients received acetaminophen (10-15 mg/kg/dose, PO) every 6h as necessary to relieve pain. The patients of the case group also inhaled lavender essential oil. The frequencies of daily use of acetaminophen and nocturnal awakening due to pain, and pain intensity (evaluated using visual analog scale [VAS]) were recorded for each patient for 3 days after surgery. Finally, the mean values of variables were compared between two groups separately for each post-operative day. RESULTS: The use of lavender essential oil caused statistically significant reduction in daily use of acetaminophen in all three post-operative days but had not significant effects on pain intensity and frequency of nocturnal awakening. CONCLUSION: Aromatherapy with lavender essential oil decreases the number of required analgesics following tonsillectomy in pediatric patients.
